Last night Ashley and I tried the Valium/Diazepam without success. Flower hated the medicine and she yelled and jerked away from it. At this point I really feel that I am belying her trust because she can't understand why I'm doing the things I'm doing to her. Especially after today. I spoke with Dr. Ikeda on this morning and given the lack of feeding even with additional medication, he and I decided that the feeding tube would be the best option to give Flower the greatest chance at getting healthy or at least maintaining. The feeding tube allows us to provide her with water, nutrition, and medication without injections or force feeding or forcing pills. Right now I just hope this works.
Ashley and I went to the vet's office to pick up Flower this afternoon and to learn how to administer food via the feeding tube. Although it doesn't seem difficult, it was not something that Flower especially enjoyed. They gave her one feeding before we got there and then demonstrated how with a small amount of food so that we could learn. The food must be mixed with water to make it soupy. About a quarter of a can should fill a volume of 35 mL (and maybe a little extra) when mixed with water. This food is drawn into a syringe to be fed to her via the tube. Another syringe is used for water. We have two medications and a supplement that need to be mixed in with the food. The food should be mixed with warm water so that it does not shock her system when it hits the esophagus and stomach, which can cause vomiting. Ever since we gave her this food earlier, she has been making rather odd sounds: some gurgling in the stomach and intestines, some burping, and some odd breathing sounds (which the doctor said is likely from the tube in her trachea used during the surgery). The most disheartening, however, was when she vomited a small amount this evening. This came right before Ashley and I were to administer her nightly feeding/medication. Afterward she didn't want to stay in my room. She sat in front of Varr's door for nearly 10 minutes and then even went to Ev's door to try to get in. Finally, unsuccessful, she came back to my room and sat in the doorway. I had to pick her up and place her on the bed and she is now sleeping and snoring oddly. I hate to wake her but I have to do the feeding for this evening. I'm waiting, hoping that Varr might come home soon because I'll need some help to make it as easy as possible on Flower.
At the vet's office today, we found out that Flower is becoming anemic. Her red cell volume on a PCV was about 29% yesterday and then 27% today. At the time of the surgery the doctor was pretty worried; having done a PCV with the blood taken while under anesthesia, Flower's red cell volume was at only 14%. But he double checked it after surgery, and returned with the 27% value I just mentioned. Her gums are pale, which is not good. He gave us a supplement (see above) that we will give her with food that contains iron and some other components to help with red cell development.
